Question

Give two characteristics of tidal forests.

Answer 1

Hint: Forests are home to a large variety of life forms such as plants, mammals, birds, insects and reptiles etc. Nearly 30% of the total land area on earth is covered by forests. Climate and soil type are considered as the non-living components of the forest ecosystem while plants, animals and other life forms are considered as living components. Depending on various factors, forests are categorised into various types— evergreen, deciduous, temperate, alpine, tidal and thorny. These can be further subdivided .

Complete answer: -Tidal forests or mangrove forests are found in the delta of various rivers in tropical and subtropical regions. In India, they are found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta in Sunderbans, the largest delta in the world and the deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.
-The main feature of the trees that grow in these forests are the dense tangle of prop roots that are visible during low tide and covered during high tides. The soft tissues of these roots help the trees breathe underwater and prevent the soil from eroding. The Sunderbans specifically are named after ‘Sundari’ a type of mangrove tree.

Note: Forests are the second-largest land use in India after agriculture. According to the India State of Forest Report, 2019, the total forest cover of the country constitutes 24.56% of the geographical area of the country. The top five states and union territories in terms of largest forest cover are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.